A Traditional Irish Brunch

"Basically it's everything in abundance—it's breakfast and lunch; it's definitely brunch," Irish cookbook author Rachel Allen says about her weekend fry-up recipe. "If you ask anyone in Ireland [about a fry-up], it is actually the one thing that everyone has an opinion on."

Allen's recipe for the fry-up calls for a full plate of eggs, sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes, and traditional Irish favorites like boxty and black and white puddings. White pudding, she says, is a bit more traditional than black, but if you can't find either at your local butcher, we've included a recipe for making your own black pudding.

"Boxty is something that a lot of people in Northern Ireland would say is essential to a big fry-up," Allen says. This potato dish is fried in butter and often made from leftover mashed potatoes thickened with flour. "It can be made in one big round and cut into slices or you can make small individual ones and then fry them," Allen says.

The perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day? "One traditional Irish dish would be lovely, and wear something green!" Allen says.